


Song of the Unicorn

by Airri



Category: Game Grumps
Genre: And Barry is a mystery, Dan is their head Kinght, F/M, Gen, Kevin is a wizard, M/M, Ross is basically a fancy party planner, brief mentions of Ross/Holly, fantasy!au, in which Arin and Suzy are royalty, medieval!au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-20
Updated: 2016-07-11
Packaged: 2018-03-13 00:55:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3361838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Airri/pseuds/Airri
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The head knight, the King's guard, is set a challenge to prove himself worthy of protecting his best friend. To catch a Unicorn. But it's not an easy task, and it will take a small miracle to catch a beast as wild as this.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 54, page 105? What?

> _Long, long ago, in a land far, far away…_

 

Actually, let’s not start with a stereotype, shall we?

The time was not so long ago, in a land not excessively far from ours, albeit very different, lay a kingdom, whose name fails to translate in awe and beauty when changed to our language. But it was called Mrrayl. And it had a King and Queen, both wise and gracious in their reign.

The King, Lord Hanson, was about as far from a traditional King as we could imagine. He could often be found amongst the people, visiting artists and offering his wisdom, talking and learning about his people. A more loved King there had never been.

His Queen, Lady Berhow (for she had kept her maiden name, an act almost unheard of, but even the Court Advisors did not question her choice), was a gorgeous women, incredibly talented at many things. She knew many things about ruling, how to balance what the people needed and what could actually be done, how laws and such needed to be tweaked to ensure the best results. She was kind, but fierce, and no one crossed her.

Together, they made Mrrayl as happy and fruitful as it had ever been, with their court at their side. Their small contingent of personal knights- the Armies had not been needed for quite some time-, their head of Festivities, a young man called Ross, and a Mage, who had sought refuge from a nearby country, still new to their lands, Kevin. But the head of their Knights, a man named Daniel, was Arin’s personal guard. And together they made much mischief.

As you can probably imagine, this irritated the Advisors incredibly. A King who acts like a child is not a good image for the Kingdom, and they blamed Sir Daniel. After all, they couldn’t accuse the King himself- they’d be accused of betraying the Crown and banished. And they were far too spoilt and well paid to be able to handle that, the selfish men. So they set into motion, a plan.

* * *

 

“Arin! Arin, wait up! Jesus Christ, a dude with a Crown that heavy should  _not_  be able to move that fast!”

The man in question laughs. “Says the guy in armour, Dan”.

Dan laughs, finally catching up. “Alright, point made. Why are we running again?”

“Because we stole bread from the kitchens”, Arin replies casually holding up the loaf.

Shaking his head, Dan wipes his eyes. “For the King, you sure have some out there ideas on how to have fun”.

“You love it”, comes the knowing reply.

Dan can’t argue with that. Arin’s his best friend, after all, King or not. They grew up together, actually, a young squire and a bored prince, unlikely friends in Arin’s father’s court. He was there when Arin first met Suzy, when they married. When Ross met Holly, the kind head maid of the castle. He was instrumental in helping Kevin settle in. This is his home, through and through. There’s nowhere else he’d rather be.

Arin is looking at him now, which means he’s probably spaced out. Danny responds by pulling a face, and they descend into laughter. He shakes his head, and runs a hand through his hair.

“Hey, what time did Suzy say she needed you back?”  
  
Pulling out his pocket watch- a family heirloom- Arin checks, and his face falls. “…Noon”.

Oh no. That’s not a good face. “And it’s…?”

“One minute to”.

“How long will it take to get to the Throne Room?”

“Two minutes”.

There’s a beat, and then they’re tearing through the halls, as fast as two grown men can run. Suzy _hates_ when they’re late, and they hate making Suzy upset. So it’s in everyone’s best interest that they be there on time, really. They rush pass several servants, a few attendants, and two very confused pages (who get a very lazy and cheeky salute from Dan), before skidding to a stop outside the doors to the Throne Room, panting. They’re a little worse for wear, but mercifully, on time.

Arin grins. “Made it. Am I regal enough?”

Looking thoughtful, he adjusts Arin’s clothes, smooths a rouge lock of hair, straightens his crown, and nods. “There. Like the King of Kings. Now get in there and be the most Royal fucker to sit on that extremely fancy chair”.

A short laugh escapes Arin, and Danny can’t help but grin. He loves making his friends laugh. But then they hear the herald call their cue (‘Announcing His Majesty King Arin Hanson, and his personal protector and Head of the Royal Guard, Sir Daniel Avidan!’), and the doors are swinging open. Game time.

They stroll on up to the throne, and Arin takes his seat, leaning over to kiss Suzy in the throne beside. Dan takes his spot on the other side, in a classic at ease stance. Hearing time. Unfortunately, the one sucky thing about living in a castle is all the political bullshit you have to sit/stand through. At least his job is pretty simple. Make sure Arin doesn’t die, keep the Knights in line, and attend ceremonies and celebrations, that’s about it. But to break it down so we’re not all here forever. There’s a section where they go through what happened last time, they bring forward all the important stuff, taxes, and how crops are going, what needs addressing, etcetera, etcetera. Danny usually zones out at this point, unless he hears the word ‘army’, ‘guards’ or ‘knights’. Or alternatively, pulls funny faces at Ross and Kevin until one of them laugh. That is until, they say his name.

“It has… come to our attention that Sir Avidan is the closest person to his Majesty, second only to Her Majesty. And yet, we have records showing that his father-“

Dan tenses, sending the Adviser in question a dirty look. No one talks ill about his father. The Advisor, seeing this, clears his throat, and seems to look… nervous. This is about to get very bad.

“The good Mr Avidan, that is, moved here from over the ocean, correct?”

Dan is getting confused. Where are they are going with this? “Yes…”

“Well, in that case, unless Mr Avidan went through a citizen process, Sir Avidan could not have become a Page according to the induction laws for the Private Royal Guards. All Pages must be the son of a citizen of the Kingdom”.

The following silence is so thick, you could cut it with a knife.

“What? You’ve got to be joking!” Ross yells.

Arin holds up a hand, silencing his friend. Glancing over at Dan, who’s clearly in shock. “What are you saying, Advisor? Has this rule ever come in question before?”

The man shakes his head. “Well, no, but something like this has never happened before”.

Frowning, Arin leans forward. “And how long has this rule been in place?”

“As long as the Royal Guard has been in place, Your Majesty”.

Arin glances at Suzy, who looks sad. “We can’t just make an exception. And to change the rule would take months, in the meantime, Dan would be stripped of his title, his pay would be redacted, he’d be kicked out of the castle and lose all his rights as one of the Royal Guard”.

“What?” Dan says softly. He has nowhere to go! He’d have no access to the little pay he has, no home, and no access to his friends… for possible months! And that’s _if_ they get the law passed. He might never be allowed to come back.

Arin is shell shocked as the rest of them, but he’s already asking, “What can we do?”

The Advisor hesitates. “Obviously, we can revise the law and such. And that could take some time… or, according to the Royal Guard’s Statute, ‘If a Knight’s title should ever come into question, he shall have to perform a quest to prove his valour, lest he have to renounce his sword and armour’”.

Everyone lets out a collective breath. That’s something, at least. “That’s not so bad. I can do that”, Dan pipes up.

The Advisor struggles not to smile. “Upon searching the records, I have found the only other time that a Knight has had to do this… the quest in question is to be set by the head Advisor. And so. I hereby declare that Sir Avidan, Head of the Royal Guard, shall have to perform a task worthy of such a high rank in the Court. He is to return to the castle with… a unicorn”.

“WHAT?!” several voices ask at once.

Ross is first to speak up yet again. “But there’s no such thing! Right?”  
  
“Actually…” Kevin says gently. “The history’s there. But there hasn’t been even a sighting of one in a long time”.

Arin looks torn. He turns to Suzy, who just looks sad, and shrugs. There’s nothing to be done about it.

Looking back at Dan, he sighs. “…Let it be so. However, as in accordance with the Royal Guard’s Statute, he shall have access to the Guard’s resources, and by extension, the resources of the Royal Court. Do you have any objections, Advisor?”

By the look on his face, he does, but he has no grounds on which to argue the decree. “No, Your Majesty”.

“Then that closes the matter”.

As soon as they’re finished, and free to leave the Throne Room, he’s face to face with his friends, and they’re all talking at once.

Danny raises his hand, and they stop. He runs his hand over his face, letting out a breath. “Before you say anything. Yes, it sucks. Yes, I’m freaking out a little. And yes, I’d like a hug”. At this, Suzy gives him a quick hug, which he accepts with a sigh.

“You’re going to be okay… right, Arin?” Ross says.

Arin nods. “Yeah. Look, all you have to do is… buy some time while we work on the law”.

As Suzy lets go, she adds, “But… it might not hurt to try the unicorn thing. After all, you know how troublesome those Advisors and stuff can be”.

“Oh? And just how am I meant to catch a fucking unicorn?” Dan asks.

Kevin quietly raises his hand. “I might be able to help you with that”.

Everyone cracks a smile. “Kevin, you rock, dude”.

* * *

 

Dan finds himself in Kevin’s workshop, peering into the bubbling cauldron with curiosity and confusion, while the man himself is skimming the titles of books in his shelves. The knight examines, bottles, vials, and jars, eyes landing on something that looks a lot like bear fur. His fingers inch towards it, before Kevin glances at him.

“If you treasure your hands, I wouldn’t touch that if I were you”.

His hands go back to his sides in a flash. Note. Don’t touch anything Kevin doesn’t okay first. Speaking of, he’s bringing a book over to the table, and flipping through the pages. Danny wanders over, peering over his shoulder.

“Unicorns, unicorns… ah! He we are! Unicorns, purest of beasts. Magical properties, yada yada yada… here. To catch one. Unicorns traditionally live in dense forests, far from populated areas. There’s two recommended ways to catch one. One is to enrage the beast to the point that it charges, then moving at the last moment so that its horn gets stuck in a tree trunk”.

Dan winces. “Ouch. That sounds… cruel. What’s the second?”

Kevin sighs. “The song of a virgin. Traditionally female, though not always, sits in a forest and sings, and the unicorn is drawn by the purity of the voice, laying its head in their lap. And unfortunately…”

“The rules state that all quests assigned to a singular Knight must be carried out by that Knight only”, Dan sighs. It’s again, an old rule. Damn. “Anything else I should know?”

Kevin shrugs. “Only that your best bet is to maybe take some carrots and be patient”.

Well that’s more than he could have asked for. “Right. Well, thanks, Kevin. I’ve got preparations to make”.

Waving him off, the Mage calls, “Good luck, Dan!”

He can’t help thinking he'll need all the luck he can get.

 

 


	2. Preparation is half the battle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can I just say, the response to this story has been amazing? Thank you all so much for your comments. Also, I'd like to apologize for the lateness of this update- rest assured, it hasn't been abandoned. I've just had some computer problems. Ever been writing something, have the file mess up, loose all your work and then not feel like writing for two weeks? That happened to me. Twice. But I will press on! Here's hoping the wait is worth it for you guys.

It takes him less than a day to be ready, and only half a day to get far enough into the woods to have a chance at hypothetically catching the unicorn. Keyword: hypothetically. Dan’s sceptical- a unicorn. Come on. Sure, magic is a thing- he’s seen enough of what Kevin can do to dispel any disbelief in that realm. But unicorns are still a bit of a stretch. Dan doesn’t have much else he can do, though, while Arin and Suzy work on the political route, which, let’s face it, is basically the only chance he has right now. He’s not happy about it, but it’s all he can do.

He’s set up camp by a freshwater stream- far enough to stay dry if it rains, but close enough so he access to water- and he has enough supplies for a week and a half. The good news is, it’s not that far a hike back to town, so he can restock on the things he can’t find out in the woods; some foods, flints, that sort of thing. Probably most important is the hay. Which sounds like a silly thing, but considering he’s trying to capture a unicorn, Dan figures it’s probably going to give him the best chance. Probably. Fuck, what has his life become.

The first three days are some the most boring in his life. It’s a lot of sitting there, staring into the woods. He sets up some traps to catch some rabbits and, if he’s lucky, a deer or two (and if he’s luckier than a rabbit’s foot wrapped in four leaf clovers under a horseshoe, that unicorn), and there’s a bit of wild vegetables and fruits to round out his supplies. It’s not a bad arrangement; he’s been in camps that’ve been a lot worse. But the downside is that there’s not a lot to do. It gets to the point where he results to doing one of the tasks he hates most as a knight. Polishing and sharpening his sword. This kind of thing is the worst- Dan likes the romance, the adventure of being a knight, not the boring shit like taking care of your weapon. That’s why they have blacksmiths, for the love of God. But it’s a part of being a Squire- you learn to respect and maintain your Knight’s sword, and later your own. But it doesn’t mean you have to like it, right? That’s what Dan thinks, at least.

It’s not a bad way to kill the time. But man, he really wishes that he was back in the castle, with Arin, Suzy, Ross and Kevin. Or at the very least, had some company other than his own mind, because it’s only been three days. Soon he’s going to result to playing pointless games against himself to avoid boredom. Sighing, he puts down his sword, and goes to wash his hands- on second thought, his face. It helps him focus a little for sure, and running still-damp fingers through his hair to push it away from his face. Maybe he should listen to Suzy’s suggestion to finally get a haircut.

“Man… this sucks”, he says, clearly more than a little frustrated that his fate is so far out of his hands. Not that he doesn’t trust his friends, but he feels so useless.

A branch snaps nearby, and Danny jumps. He carefully creeps over to grab his sword, and goes to investigate. It had come from over where he’d lay the hay nearby, and he figures it’s another deer. They’ve been nibbling at it on and off since he’s made camp, and he’s been shooing them off as best he can, so that he hopefully won’t have to go back for more for another day or two. If there was a better way of preserving the meat, he’d hunt some of them. But it’s just too much waste, considering he’s just one person. But as he approaches the small area, he sees the figure, and it looks too big to be a deer. A few steps closer- and-

He can’t believe what he’s seeing.

It’s certainly not a deer. Its coat is starling white, whiter than marble. It’s only slightly smaller than a young colt, hoofs a soft grey, and big, blue eyes, staring right at him. But most important, is the stunningly white spiral horn. A unicorn. Only a few feet from him, eating away at the hay.

Dan can’t believe his luck. It’s right in his reach. He can go home, have his life back. All he has to do is catch it.

...How the fuck is he going to catch it.

He didn’t set a trap- he probably should have, he realises. So the best bet is to just. Try with his hands. He doesn’t want to kill it- all he has to do is take it back, and once everything is sorted, release it. After all, if these things are as rare as they say, Dan doesn’t want to be responsible for the extinction of them by accident. So he sheathes his sword as quietly as he can, and creeps forward a few steps.

“Nice unicorn… I’m not going to hurt you”, he says softly, as it continues to stare at him. Man, those eyes are kind of creepy. They seem to hold a lot more intelligence than an animal should be able to have. But he keeps strong, and launches at the unicorn- only to land on his face.

Turns out; unicorns are much faster than they look.

“Son of a bitch”, Danny mutters. He gets up, and tries again- only for the beast to evade him.

To save you about two and a half hours of torment, I’ll give you the short version- the unicorn proves to be very fast, very clever, and very good at not being caught by one Sir Avidan.

Exhausted and grubby, he glares at the unicorn. “...Why can’t it ever be easy? Become a knight- get told it’s not legit because Dad’s from over the ocean. Only way to fix it? Catch a mythical beast no one’s seen in years. Somehow manage to  _find_  said magical beast? Can’t catch it! Son of a bitch!”

Somehow, his complaining seems to amuse the unicorn, who continues to munch on hay as it listens.

He tugs at his hair, noticing how quickly the hay is vanishing. This isn’t good. Dan’s brain kicks into gear. The reason the unicorn is hanging around is the hay. The hay is being eaten. He doesn’t have more. That means he has to risk leaving the unicorn to get more. He sighs loudly. Does he risk losing his out in an attempt to buy more time- and some non-lethal traps to make his life easier? Or does he keep trying his fruitless efforts to catch the unicorn while he has the chance, and then have it escape?

Suddenly, he’s reminded of a month ago, how he somehow managed to walk under a ladder, and Arin teased him about it being bad luck, and he laughed it off. Dan’s not so sure he should have been so blasé about it now. He glances back at the unicorn- it’s paused in its eating to watch him more closely. He rubs at his face.

“...Fuck it”, he mumbles, “When all of this is over, I’m taking a vacation”.

* * *

 

_Meanwhile, back in the castle._

The Advisors could not be more pleased. Despite their King and Queen’s best efforts, Sir Avidan remains out of their way while they make more… permanent plans. After all, their monarchs are still trying to get their fool Knight back. And they can’t have that. They want their King distraction free- theirs to manipulate and control. After all, a puppet King is much better for some power hungry old men.

As they block every attempt of Arin and Suzy to get the rule changed, they talk of exiling Dan, of bogging down Ross in pointless events to keep him away, of even bringing back and even older rule  to do with locking up magicians to ‘deal’ with Kevin. They laugh, because in their eyes, the battle is already won.

After all, there’s no such thing as a unicorn.

* * *

 

It’s not a long walk into town- shorter than his trip from the castle, but long enough that making the choice was hard enough. But Dan knows he wasn’t getting anywhere with his last plan. This is his best bet. And if- which he’s hoping with all his heart- if it somehow gets away in the time he’s gone, at least Arin’s working on Plan B. Which might not exactly make him feel reassured, but it’s certainly helpful.

The first stop he makes is to the markets. Rope and supplies are his first purchase- not that he’s desperate for supplies, but he’d rather be safe than sorry. And besides, the nice grocer is always giving him a good deal. He always pays the young man a little extra, too. Nice kid, dark hair, glasses, good sense of humour. Good with plants, too, has some of the best roses this side of the border. Claims it to be a family secret, and a fertiliser from a good friend with a very special cow. Dan always laughs at that.

Next stop is by the blacksmith. It’s not that he doesn’t doubt his ability to take care of his own equipment (well, maybe a touch. He’s not the greatest at it), but it helps to get a second opinion. Plus, the blacksmith (who everyone seems to get lost finding) always gives him a free sharpen. Always with a bonus innuendo and a few good jokes. Another dark haired young man with glasses, but he’s a little more outgoing than the grocer. They’re good friends, though. Dan doesn’t tell him why he needs the sword sharpening, but he still gets a ‘good luck’. A clever one, that blacksmith.

The last place he has to go is the Royal Stables. At least Arin made sure he’d still have access to things while he was doing this. He manages to get another few bales of hay, and in loading up his pack, he’s interrupted by the King himself.

“What? Were you going to stop by and not say hello?” Arin teases.

“Never”, Dan snorts, “Just coming to see you. But I can’t stay very long”. He doesn’t explain why. Doesn’t mention the unicorn. He doesn’t want to get Arin’s hopes up, only to fail. He’d rather Arin focus on what he’s doing.

He gets an eye roll and a hug. “Of course, no time for us now that you’re on an epic quest”. It sounds casual, but Danny can tell he’s worried. He’s just good at hiding it. “You’re doing alright?”

As he hugs back, he sighs. “I’m  _fine_ , man. I’ve dealt with worse conditions. Seriously, all things considered, I’m great. You and the others okay up there with me?”

“We’re actually able to hear ourselves think, if that’s what you mean”. Translation- we all miss you and it’s too quiet. Arin has the most subtle way of saying these things.

“Well I’m sure you’re enjoying it. Better savour it, because I’m gonna be back in no time”. In other words, ‘I miss you all too and I’ll be back as soon as I can’. Man, they’re really bad at this, but in the best way. They both laugh, and Arin gives him a look.

“...Be safe, yeah?”

Dan smiles, and nod. “When am I not? Go do official stuff. I got this. Tell everyone I say hi”.  
  
“Of course. See you, man”. Arin pats his shoulder, and is off back to the castle. Dan knows he’s probably more worried than Dan could even tell. But he’s going to catch that unicorn, and he’s going to come back, and everything’s going to be okay. He’s going to make sure of that.

On his way back through the town, he’s stopped by a small group of kids. Not too young- maybe 12 or 13, but young enough to still be enamoured by the whole knight ideal- whether that be because he’s a hero and an adventurer or ‘the knight in shining armour’. It can go either way. They recognise him from his outings with Arin, and they camber around, asking what he’s up to, a dozen voices at once. Danny laughs, and he answers a few of their questions, but gives none of the details. They don’t need to know. But one girl, points out that last time he promised them a story. Dan hesitates. He doesn’t have time for a story. But they all look up at him with wide smiles and hope, and he caves. He tells them he’ll sing for them instead.

It’s not often these days Dan gets a chance to sing. He used to do it more, as a page, but now, as a knight, there’s just not as much time. His Dad always said, if he hadn’t become a Knight, he’d be a bard, singing songs and making people smile. And he tends to agree- his voice is pretty good. He just chose a different path. Arin knows about it- even asks sometimes for him to perform. Dan does, always has a good time. But it’s more a hobby.

So he sings with the kids. Dances a little with them, makes them laugh. It’s a silly old song, one he made up a long time ago. But they enjoy it, and it makes him feel good. Forget about his problems, for a bit, and just enjoy making people happy.

Blue eyes, from the edge of the woods, watch, see how much he cares about his people. His friends. And they hear him sing.

As he gathers his things, and says goodbye to his fans, as they call themselves, he hopes that he’ll have better luck this time around.

 


	3. I believe in miracles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back with another chapter! This one's slightly shorter and a little slower than the last two, but alas, exposition must happen so we can move on. Next chapter should have more action and things of that nature. Also, I read all your messages! Indeed, Mark (of Markiplier fame) was the blacksmith. And the grocer was Ray Narvaez Jr (formally of Achievement Hunter, now streamer [rip]). The clues to look for were the roses and his friend with the cow. But the reference was to the PAX panel that Mark and Ray went to last year- the Grumps panel specifically, and how they're both big Grump fans. I might make some more references in this story in the future, so you might want to keep an eye out.

Walking to his camp, Danny glances towards the clearing, and after dropping off the other things he’d bought, he holds a little tighter onto the hay, and takes a moment.

“I don’t care who’s listening… but please, please… let it still be there”, he says softly. If the unicorn has left, the odds of it coming back of finding another… are practically non-existent. But every moment standing around is another moment not knowing if he’s royally fucked this up. So he carefully walks to the clearing-

And lets out a breath.

It’s still there. The unicorn hasn’t left. It’s still eating away at the hay he’d left. Dan wants to laugh in relief- maybe his luck is starting to turn around. Carefully, he works around the beast, laying more hay and the traps- all humane, designed to only capture, not kill.

Sitting, he sighs, leaning against a tree, and watching as the unicorns finishes with watching him, and continues munching away. At least part of his worries have been soothed. But that doesn’t mean he can take it easy, although a break is well deserved, in his mind.

“You know, you’re not so bad, for all the trouble you’re causing me”, he tells the unicorn, gaining its attention again. And now he’s talking to a unicorn. Well done, Daniel. It doesn’t get much better than this. At least it looks like the unicorn is listening, so he doesn’t feel as strange as he possibly looks. “It’s not like you know what’s going on or anything. You just want to wander around doing your thing”.

It strolls a little closer, abandoning its eating. Still much too far away to reach from where he is. But he’s done chasing for now. “To make a very long story short; really old rules can be fucking stupid and I’m going to loose everything I care about because of one. My friends, my home… everything”. It sounds so much worse when he says it aloud like that. But that’s the truth. He slumps a little, head back. “And it sucks. Sucks major monkey ass”.

The unicorn seems to be intrigued- huge blue eyes on him, ears pointed forward. He’s getting sympathy from a freaking magical narwhal horse. “I should have just been a fucking musician. I bet they don’t have to go chasing unicorns in the woods, no offence intended”. Said unicorn doesn’t seem to be bothered, even bobbing its head in what might have been called a nod if Dan didn’t know better.

Closing his eyes, he sighs, and hums a few notes of the tune he’d been singing for the children back in town. And he hears movement. The unicorn. So he keeps going- if he’s got an audience, he might as well. The noise gets slowly, steadily louder. Danny cracks open an eye to see that the unicorn keeps moving towards him. He’s confused- until Kevin’s words come back to him. Surely not…

So Dan sings. And he can’t help but be shocked as the unicorn, unhesitantly, walks up to him, right by his side- and lies down, head in his lap.

‘There’s two recommended ways to catch one. One is to enrage the beast to the point that it charges, then moving at the last moment so that its horn gets stuck in a tree trunk. The other is the song of a virgin. Traditionally female, though not always, sits in a forest and sings, and the unicorn is drawn by the purity of the voice, laying its head in their lap’, Kevin had said.

“But… I’m not…” he whispers, hesitant to even breathe, let alone move. In his hand is the rope that had kept the hay as bales. Slowly, ever so slowly, he fastens it into a lead, and as those blue eyes watch, carefully loops it over the unicorn’s snout, head, and then neck.

He’s done it. He’s caught a fucking unicorn.

“I’m not a virgin”, he mumbles. “...I don’t… what?” 

* * *

 

Back in the castle, Arin is having his first audience since Dan had left, slumped in his throne, looking exhausted. Suzy isn’t much better, save for her posture (she’s a motherfucking lady, thank you very much), and even Ross, who’d been trying to help where he can, between his other duties, looks worse for wear. But they still have jobs to do. So after the pomp and circumstance, they sit through the formalities, the room feeling all the more dull and lifeless without Dan’s presence. Even Kevin looks down- by know, Dan would have been making faces.

This time, when the representative of the Advisers approaches, they all tense.

He clears his throat. “It with great regret that we have to inform you that your most recent request for an alteration of the Service and Citizenship section of the Knight’s Law… has been denied”.

There’s a collective groan. “What? Why?! This is like the seventh time we’ve done this!” Ross nearly yells, but is hushed by Kevin, who knows that it’s not going to win them any favours. 

Said Advisor’s expression agrees, glaring at Ross. “Well, it appears to have not met all the criteria for the legal change, and thus we had to turn it away”. 

“But I looked that application five times over! It was absolutely flawless!” Suzy says, frowning.

The Advisor fights to not look smug. “No offense intended, Your Majesty, but there were a few things that didn’t meet the standard”.  
  
Arin looks visibly ready to march over there and tell the Advisor a thing or two about ‘standards’, but he’s restraining himself.

“Furthermore”, the Advisor continues, “we have been looking over the situation, and as a council, come to a consecutive decision, based on Sir Avidan’s… record”.

The silence is bone chilling. They all realise that Dan’s a bit of a troublemaker. But it’s not been a problem, not until now. And with the way that things have been going, this can only mean one thing.

They’re going to exile Dan.

“Thus, on behalf of the Council-”

The Advisor is cut off by an announcement. “Sir Daniel Avidan requests an audience with His Majesty. He presses that is rather urgent- and if I may be so bold, I would highly suggest you see him, Your Majesty”.  
  
Arin cuts off the forming protests of the Advisor. “Send him in. Now”.

Dan pokes his head in, smiling. “Uh. Hey. I hate to interrupt, but I bought you guys something”.

“He didn’t”, Ross says, eyes wide. Everyone’s hoping, but they’re still more than surprised to see Dan lead the unicorn up to the throne, kneel respectively, and grin.

“One unicorn, as requested”.

There’s a beat of silence.

Arin grins, and gets up, before hoisting Dan up and hugging him. “You did it! You beautiful son of a-”  
  
“Arin! Time and place!” Suzy reminds him.

 “-Gun”, he amends, “you did it! How?”

Dan looks sheepish. “Got lucky, I guess”. His eyes dart to Kevin, hoping he can talk to the mage after. But again, their celebrations are interrupted by the Advisor clearing his throat. He manages to mask his shock and anger, but it’s safe to say he’s not pleased to see the Knight back.

He glances at the horse. “If I may… I believe I speak for the rest of the Council when I say that before we get ahead of ourselves, we’d like to perform some checks on the… beast. Make sure it is legitimate, and not some… fake. Not that I’m implying Sir Avidan would do such a thing-”, he back peddles, realizing what it sounds like, “-it’s just standard protocol. And considering the… rarity of the beast, the scholars and even our mage friend over there would be interested in gaining some information about it”.

They look to Kevin, who turns a little sheepish. “It could really further some of our knowledge and spells… it’s not often we get a chance to access a live unicorn”.  
  
Arin lets go of Dan to look at Suzy- who is thinking, and she slowly nods. “...On a few conditions. It is to be treated like one of our personal mounts- kept in the stables, fed, watered and brushed. It’s to be handled with respect and kindness. If I see one mark on it- the Council will be held directly responsible”.

That gets the Advisor fuming. But he can’t deny his Queen her request. It certainly isn’t unreasonable, considering. “As you wish, Your Majesty”.

Dan hands the lead to a page- tells him to be gentle, and is quickly hugged by Arin, Suzy, Ross and Kevin in rapid succession. But he has a feeling they’re not done with this yet. Not by a long shot.

That night, they have a small dinner, just the five of them, to celebrate Dan’s success. But he’s distracted by the thought of bright blue eyes. He pulls Kevin aside for a moment.

“Hey, Kevin. I’ve got a question about the whole unicorn thing”. 

To his credit, Kevin is so cool about being pulling away. “Sure, Dan. What’s up?”

Dan’s not even sure why he’s so bothered. He’s not questioning his luck, but he’s curious. “Is there any record of a unicorn being caught by someone singing… who wasn’t a virgin?”

“Not that I know of. But just because I can’t think of anything, doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened”. Kevin pauses. “Is there something you want to talk about, Dan?”

He waves it off. “No, no… it’s nothing. Can you not… mention it to the others? I don’t want them worrying”.

Kevin just smiles, and nods. “Sure thing. And if it means anything, at least you got it. That’s better than nothing”.

“Yeah”, Dan agrees, smiling at Ross and Arin arguing, “You’re right. I’m home now. That’s what matters”. 

* * *

 

Alas, the Advisors are far less pleased to have Dan back. They’re in arms, noise fills the meeting room as they argue and express their anger. But their hushed as the Head Advisor- because they require some sort of organisation- raises his hand.

“It is… unfortunate that the knight Sir Avidan has somehow found the beast. But we are not beaten yet. We will examine it- drag out the process as long as possible. This will give us time to exploit our little loophole further. We have a few more tricks up our sleeves, yet”.

Muttering fills the room, and they all nod.  
  
“What exactly comes next?”

The Head grins. “We move to plan B. And this one is… slightly more involved”

As for the unicorn, it gets all of the grander promised. A stable lined with hay, clean water, feed, and a decent sized arena to wander in the day. Not a bad arrangement. With the moon rising, it seems to stare up at the castle wistfully. But there no eyes to see, to ears to hear its soft blow of air. Maybe that’s for the best, for the time being. But its presence is high in the mind of many tonight.

 


	4. Silver hair means a big boom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who's back. Back again.  
> Hey! So I picked up writing this again! Sorry this chapter's a little shorter than the rest. But we're getting somewhere, slowly. I promise, I'm still keeping on this, it's just super slow going.  
> But I'm so glad you're all enjoying this so much. Thank you for all your support. I always read your comments. So if you have any questions, or just wanna say anything, send it on through.  
> That being said. Chapter 1 had a reference to a non-grumps video that I'm surprised no one picked up on. Wonder if anyone's noticed?  
> In any case. Please, enjoy Chapter 4~

It’s like there’s a new life in the castle. Everyone’s perked up with Dan back. It’s not quite like it was- there’s still some unresolved issues, and the tension is almost visible. Even after the celebration, there’s still so much to do. Which is how Dan finds himself in the stables, with Kevin and Ross (he’d volunteered when Arin and Suzy had admitted they were busy being royalty. Dan still appreciates the support) and two Advisors, who are staring at the unicorn; poking prodding, examining every detail. It’s almost invasive, and they seem to check every hair. Danny wonders if he’s imagining the uncomfortable, almost embarrassed look on the animal’s face. There’s a reason they didn’t want to leave the Advisors alone while they did this. But eventually they concede- it’s as real as they can tell. Another tick off the list on Dan’s part. But they warn they might need to get an expert in yet, as they leave.

Ross says what they’re all thinking; “Where do you even find a unicorn expert?”

“Ignore them. They’re just being difficult”, Kevin tells him, stepping up to gently pet the unicorn. It- and Dan- seem to relax. The knight doesn’t know why he’s getting all protective. It’s just a unicorn. Sure, it kind of saved his ass… but it’s not like he has any reason to get attached. It’ll be gone in a few days anyway.

Kevin is much gentler, kinder in his curiosity. He talks to the unicorn- a boy, he informs his friends- warns him when he takes some of the hair from his tail. Even Ross gets close, feeds him a few sugar lumps while Kevin works. Dan is honestly a little surprised at how quickly they take to the unicorn. Maybe that says something.

“He needs a name”, Ross says firmly, “don’t you, boy?”

Dan hums. “If you name him, you’ll get attached and get upset when he has to go”, he warns. Ross retaliates with a look that would melt a foot high snow drift. But Dan’s got a stronger heart than that (even if somehow he manages to look like a kicked puppy).

Kevin looks up from what he’s doing to speak up. “Well we just can’t call him ‘unicorn’ forever… we’ll ask Suzy. She’s good with names”.

“Fine. But if Ross cries when we let him loose, let the record show that I tried to stop it”, Dan warns,

The laugh he gets from Kevin and cry of indignation from Ross is totally worth it. “Don’t worry, we’ll remember when the time comes”.

“Thanks, Kevin”, comes the easy reply. Dan hesitates, and reaches out to stroke the unicorn’s neck. He gets a nudge from its muzzle, and he smiles. Maybe a name isn’t completely out of the question.

* * *

 

Their journey back to the castle is uneventful, for the most part. Dan’s grateful he wasn’t gone too long- things around here change so quickly. But it still feels just the same as it ever was- big and busy. Parting ways with Kevin and Ross after a while, he decides he just. Needs to wander for a while. It’s always refreshing just to have a bit of a roam, listen to the whispers of the halls, of what’s been happening. Everything from, ‘did you hear the baker’s daughter has run off with the Lord over the way’ and ‘the new delivery boy for the grocer is suuuuper cute. Foreign, too!’ Although, it’s always a little awkward when the conversation turns to him. Seriously, the number of times he’s heard them gossip about how he’s somehow still single, when is he going to settle down with someone nice, so on and so forth… Sometimes, he’s tempted to butt in and point out it’s frankly none of their business.

But admittedly, they do kind of have a point. Usually by his age, a Knight would at least have a partner, if they’re not married. But Dan’s kind of a bachelor, and apart from a few flings, he’s never really… found the right person to settle down with. It’s not that he wouldn’t mind- especially when Arin and Suzy and Ross and Holly go on date nights (Kevin does his own thing, and Dan respects that). It gets a little lonely. But one of these days, maybe.

What stops him, though, is when he passes by the library, and hears low voices.

“So, what’s the news?” asks one.

A long sigh. “...It’s real as it comes- how he found one still baffles me. I thought they had all died out”. 

“Is there any way we can discount it?” 

“Not that I can tell… but when I told _him_ , he said that he has a plan... “ 

Dan’s not an idiot. He knows whoever’s in there is talking about him and the unicorn. But they’re… planning something? The voices go quiet- they’ve left through the other door. Someone’s out to get him- and he doesn’t know why. But he needs to get to Arin- he needs to know that there’s people in the castle going behind his back.

* * *

 

“Are you sure, Dan?” Suzy presses.

He sighs a little. “Not to be rude, Suze, but I couldn’t be surer. I don’t know who it was, but at least two people were talking about trying to get me kicked out again.  
  
Danny watches as Arin taps his foot, deep in thought. He’s somewhere between confused and slightly angry. “...Dan, I want you to be careful just in case. But… unless we have concrete proof, we can’t do shit, unfortunately. Especially considering you just got back- we don’t want to risk you having to go away again”.

Nodding softly, he slumps. “...I get it. But you guys just. Needed to know. If this is actually happening, and they’re aiming for me… I just don’t want you guys to be next”.  
  
“Aw, Dan _loves_ us”, Ross teases gently, wandering over. “We appreciate it, man, but we’ll be okay. Focus on yourself for now. If and when it happens, we’ll handle it”.  
  
Rolling his eyes, Dan pushes at Ross playfully, but he’s smiling. Its times like this Ross’ ability to not take things too seriously comes in handy- it reminds him that it’s going to be okay.  
  
“Speaking of things we’ll handle-” Ross adds, “Suzy! Have you been to visit the unicorn yet? He’s really kind of nice. And we said we’d let you name it”.

She shakes her head gently. “Not yet- I’m still chasing to get that rule changed. Better safe than sorry, after all. But as soon as I get a spare second, I will. And a name? I don’t know… I’ll have to get to know him first. He’ll need one based off his personality. I’ll take suggestions, though”.

Arin smiles at that. “We’ll go together. Hopefully soon Kevin will be able to tell us more about him. Speaking of him, where is he?”  
  
“Probably working”, Dan says, “you know Kevin. Once he’s got something to do, he won’t stop until he’s done”.

It seems like the universe has a funny sense of timing. Because the next thing that happens is a large explosion from Kevin’s workroom, and everyone jumps.  
  
“What the fuck was that?!” Ross yells.  
  
Suzy’s gone pale, and Arin’s shaking his head.  
  
But Dan’s first to get moving. “Come on- we need to check if he’s hurt”.  
  
That kicks them all into gear. It’s amazing how many people get out of the way when you have four very worried people- two Monarchs, one Knight, and a high level Court member racing towards you. Dan’s first to the door- and when he opens it, black smoke billows out, causing them all to cough. It smells like manure and off milk, and as he makes his way inside, he sees a very befuddled and frazzled looking Kevin.  
  
“Kev! You okay?” Arin calls, emerging from the smoke.

He nods slowly, wiping soot from his forehead. “I’m alright… a little shaken, but unharmed. God, this is going to suck to clean up…” He’s got arms full of Suzy next, who’s hugging him and checking him over.  
  
“What happened?” Ross asks, trying to get a look at Kevin’s work, tilting his head.

“That’s the thing”, Kevin says, frowning, “I’m not sure. I was doing a very basic test to get a feel for the exact magical levels in unicorn hair- and then this happened. It’s not meant to do this- there’s something unusual in the magical signature that threw off the test”.  
  
Dan blinks. “Any chance we can get the short hand version?”  
  
Kevin looks at them, and huffs softly. “This is some unicorn. Either all the reports I’ve read are wrong, or there’s something really special about this one”.  
  
“Which means he’s going to be in a whole lot of danger”, Ross says softly.

Arin nods. “I’ll make sure he’s protected- we’ll get some of the in house knights to do a rotating watch”.  
  
Raising his hand, Danny adds, “I’ll sign up. If one hair can do this, might as well make sure he doesn’t blow up either. Plus, I’m the reason he’s here”.

“Alright. Well, ah… we’ll send up some help for you, Kevin”, Suzy says, smiling. “Unfortunately, Arin and I have business… but if you ask nicely, Ross and Dan might give you a hand”.  
  
Kevin looks hopefully at Ross and Dan, who groan, but smile.

“Damn you and your baby face, Kevin”, Dan pretends to complain, “fine. Come on, Ross. We’ve got work to do”.


	5. What's in a name?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *dusts off the cobwebs from this series*
> 
> I'm baaaaaaaack.  
> It took me a while, but I finally updated this! I'm sorry it took me a while. But I've been so busy and struggling with writing as a whole.  
> Hopefully it's what you were hoping for.  
> And I'll try to update a little sooner next time.
> 
> I really need to re-read this and get in the swing of things. Alas, here we go!

Once again, Danny is faced with his worst enemy: waiting. Word is it’ll take a week to a week and a half for this ‘unicorn expert’ to get to the castle. In the meantime, though, there’s not a lot to be done. Dan sets up a rotating guard for their unicorn guest- he himself has night shifts, considering he only had a few men to spare who weren’t already guarding the castle or Arin and Suzy or other important things. But he’s got it covered, even if he’s not happy about the wait. By the second day, he’s got a kind of system in order. Sleep in until 10:30pm because of the night shift, get a late bite to eat, visit Arin doing his official stuff, check in Suzy doing her official stuff, find Ross who for some reason has been working more lately (apparently his job is getting involved- more smaller festivals and rituals coming out from the woodwork demanding Ross’ time and attention), call in on Kevin to see how his research on the unicorn is going, then do official Knight stuff until dinner, where he gets caught up on everyone’s day, and then relieves Brent from his watch in the stables. It’s not the most fun time, but hey, he’s doing his part. The first night had mostly been spent finding a somewhat comfortable place to keep watch- a corner of the stall with a little bundle of hay had been the place of choice. The second has Dan bored out of his mind, staring at the unicorn, who hasn’t fallen asleep. It’s just watching Dan back- not creepy at all (it’s actually super fucking creepy who is he kidding). So, he reverts back to doing what he does best- talking to himself.

“Of course I take the Graveyard shift- well done, Dan, you’ve done excellently. Sure, spare any of your men having to do it, but be stuck being bored to death. Don’t even think of bringing a book or anything- not that it’s light enough to read”.

The Unicorn snorts, and bobs it’s head, almost like he agrees with him. God, he really  _ is _ bored out of his brain if he thinks the Unicorn can understand him. But hey, it’s slightly better than talking to himself. Might as well go for it. After all- people talk to their pets, right? He can talk to the mythical creature he’s guarding.

Sitting up slightly, he sighs. “Here I am talking about being bored… you must be pretty bored yourself. I mean, they let you out during the day, but a penned in area must be pretty fuckin’ bad compared to a forest, right?”

In response, he gets a soft nicker, and a tilt of the head. Danny’s gonna take that as a shrug, because that’s… kind of close. Right? Or is he reading too much into this. But hey, he can at least pretend.

“Man. Look at the pair of us”, Dan sighs. “You’re stuck in this pen, I’m stuck second guessing my future at the castle. Pretty sad circumstances. Guess we’re gonna be stuck together”. Smiling sadly at the Unicorn, he manages a little sad chuckle. What surprises him, though, is the way that the Unicorn steps towards him, and gently presses his muzzle into his shoulder, as if… reassuring him. Dan pets it a few times, shocked, looking at those eyes, that just. Seem like they know.

Surely the Unicorn can’t understand him… right? That’d just be… ridiculous. But there’s something in that gaze, that is…. more. That makes his heart do a funny thing and his stomach sits lower because of it.

Sitting back, he looks the beast in the eye, and asks. “...Can you understand me? Paw twice for yes”.

There’s a beat, and carefully, a hoof hits the ground, once, twice.

Dan isn’t even sure he isn’t either imagining this or just losing his mind, but right now, he’s just going with it.

“Shit… No one’s going to believe me…”, he mumbles, patting the Unicorn’s nose again softly. “But… alright. I’m not actually sure what to do with this information”. Seriously, what do you do with that kind of knowledge. “I guess now you get to listen to me ramble for a while. Until you’re free to go…”

Another huff, and the Unicorn nods along. Danny realises that he still needs a name. Getting an idea, he starts writing letters in the dirt, and looks up. “Here- do you have a name I can suggest to Suzy? I mean, if you can understand me, I can at least try to get your input”. It’s only fair, after all. He soon has the alphabet laid out. “So, this is how it’s gonna work. I’ll slowly go from A to Z, and if you want to pick a letter, just paw or something. I’ll write it to the side, and once we’re done, give me a whinny, and I’ll take it to Suzy. Understand?”

Two paws. He’ll take that as another yes, then. “Perfect. Alright, let’s do this”. It’s a little process. But slowly, they get somewhere. N, A, T, H, A, N. And then a whinny. “Huh”, he says aloud. “Nathan… gonna admit, did not expect that kind of name”.

He gets a look that kind of says, ‘What kind of name did you expect?’ Honestly, he was something like… Buck, or Arthur, or something. Hell, he’s never named a unicorn, how is he meant to know.

“Okay. I’ll let her know before we come around tomorrow… hopefully she takes it. But don’t blame me if she doesn’t use it. I mean, I can’t exactly tell her you told me, now can I?” Dan protests. He gets a nicker and a playful nip in return, which he can only assume is a sign of goodwill. He pats down the side of Nathan’s neck, and glances outside, where the approaching light tells him that his shift is over. “Well… time to go. Catch you later, I guess”, Danny says, stepping out to meet his replacement, and heads to bed to get a couple of hours before he’s up again. The interaction lingers in his mind though. This is one hell of a Unicorn.

 

* * *

 

All too soon, it’s time to get going again. Dan is reluctant to be awake, but it’s only temporary, he reminds himself. He drags himself down for an early breakfast, and goes to meet Suzy, who’s finally got enough spare time to get dragged out to name their guest. Ross is bouncing around, and it’s refreshing to see him so energetic even after all the work he’s doing. But they wander out, and Dan takes a back seat to the conversation, letting Ross and Suzy’s energies feed each other. They need it. But then they’re entering the stable, and his eyes are drawn right back to the stall he was in earlier.

“So, Suze, we decided we wanted you to choose the name”, Ross says, smiling.

“Mainly because we’re all bad at names”, Danny chips in.

Suzy laughs at that. “Well, you’re not wrong. You didn’t ask Holly, Ross?”

Ross tries really, really hard not to blush at that. “Well… I mean. I would have, but I haven’t told her yet. Want to keep the whole unicorn thing as down low as we can. Don’t need the whole kingdom up in arms or anything”.

He has a point about that. Though Dan suspects that’s not the only reason. He pats Ross on the back briefly, before smiling at Suzy. “Besides, you have a knack for these kinds of things. Please?”

She pretends to sigh in annoyance, but really, she’s smiling brightly, and reaches out a hand to the unicorn in question, who happily bumps his muzzle into her touch. “I suppose I can. Did you have any ideas?”

“Not really. We’ve been told it’s a boy, if that helps”, Ross provides.

Dan honestly doesn’t know how he’s going to subtly suggest the name the unicorn gave him, but he’s got to think of something- after all, there’s a reason he doesn’t go by Leigh. 

Suzy strokes over the unicorn’s fur softly, thinking. “Hmm… he almost needs a normal name. He seems too smart to demean him with something silly”.

They nod in agreement. “So what are you thinking?” Dan prompts.

She sighs. “A name no one else we know has, ideally”.

“So no ‘John’ then?” Ross says.

Suzy shakes her head. “No… something nicer than that”.

Okay. Now or never. “Yeah… I dunno”, Dan says idly, trying his hardest not to act suspicious. It’s probably not working as well as he hopes. “Something simple. Like Nathan”.

A beat- and Ross says, “Why didn’t you think of that the other day when we needed a name?!”

Suzy laughs at them gently. “That’s actually a great name, Dan. I think that’ll be it”.

“To be fair I didn’t exactly plan this!” That much is true. He didn’t anticipate asking a unicorn for his name… well, ever. But at least he’s going to be called by a name he likes. That’s progress.

Ross comes over to give the newly officially appointed Nathan some pats. “Well, I think he likes it well enough”. Nathan whinneys his approval, and leans into the affection.

“I think that does it, then. Is that all?” Suzy asks.

“Well, yeah. I think so”, Dan agrees. “Unless there’s anything else?”

Ross shrugs. “Let’s head back. We’re due to catch up with Kevin about the results of his tests”.

Out of the corner of his eye, Dan thinks he sees Nathan duck his head, almost as if nervous. “Right- let’s not be late”, Suzy says, leading them out the stables. Danny’s not sure what’s up with their unicorn guest… but he’s going to keep an eye out for more weirdness.

 

* * *

 

They’re soon having lunch together- which Dan’s glad for, he’s starving. Even if he has to be careful of his stomach. But the chefs are used to that by now. And the good company is more important. He’s midway through his plate when the conversation turns to a new topic from Ross’ work.

“So, you said you had something to report back with, Kevin?” Arin asks, leaning forward. He’s anxious to hear anything that means Dan will be cleared. Not that Dan’s not anxious. He’s mostly trying not to think about it.

“Yeah. I’ve been doing some research about unicorns in general, seeing if anyone else had the reaction I did. So far nothing. But I’ve made some progress”. Kevin pauses, and adds, “Did you know that a group of unicorns is called a fondle?”

Dan, in the middle of drinking from his flask, fails to stop his spit take. “You’ve got to be kidding me”, he manages, as he wipes his face, listening to Ross and Arin laugh.

Kevin grins. “I swear, it’s the truth. It’s not exactly a common grouping, but I found in my studies”.

He starts laughing. “Oh my God. Brian’s not going to believe me when I tell him”. And then Dan realizes. “...Fuck… I haven’t told Brian about any of this”. He’s not going to be happy when he finds out. Danny doesn’t want him travelling so far for this- they’re already sorting it out. Maybe he can wait until after it’s settled.

Arin gives him a look. “...You haven’t written to him about this? You think maybe you should?” Well, there goes that.

“...To be fair I haven’t had much of a chance recently. And I don’t know… I don’t want him to worry, or anything”, Danny says, trying to play it off. Arin shares a look with Suzy. That’s never a good sign. But Ross is there to diffuse the tension.

“Aww, Danny~ I didn’t know you cared so much for Bwian”, he teases.

He rolls his eyes at that. “Shut up, Ross. Or I’ll tell Holly”. That gets Ross to clam up real quick. It’s amazing how bad he’s got it for her.

Kevin pokes back in. “So uh. I also was doing some tests. On the unicorn hair?”

That gets their attention back. He nods, glad that he’s able to talk without being interrupted. “...It’s got magical properties, for sure. But not nearly at the levels that the documents I’ve been reading suggests. I don’t know if the reports were faked, if the readings were inaccurate, if the levels have naturally declined over time, or if something else is going on here, but I’m going to keep trying to see if I can’t figure it out”.

“Thanks, Kevin”, Dan says, smiling. “I really appreciate your effort”. It’s his best chance of being able to stay here, after all.

Arin agrees. “If you need anything else, let us know”.

“Of course”, Kevin agrees. It’s mostly time he needs. But they’re also not getting any more of that. Not with the Advisors doing whatever it is they’re doing.


End file.
